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HP Govt Re-Shuffles 43 IAS/HAS Officials Including Eight DCs Ahead of By-Elections 2021
Shimla-Himachal Pradesh Government has re-shuffled 43 IAS and HAS official. The transferred/posted officials include eight Deputy Commissioners. The orders came following the meeting of the HP Cabinet held yesterday.
This re-shuffle has also come ahead of the by-elections scheduled to be held in the state.
Neeraj Kumar, IAS (HP:2013) would be the new Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul & Spiti. Dr. Nipun Jindal, IAS (HP:2014), who was serving as the Managing Director, National Health Mission, HP, was posted as the new Deputy Commissioner, Kangra.
Ashutosh Garg, IAS (HP:2014) has been posted as the new Deputy Commissioner, Kullu. Arindam Chaudhary, IAS (HP:2014), was appointed as the new Deputy Commissioner, Mandi.
Ram Kumar Gautam, IAS (HP: 2014) was posted as the new Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur. Pankaj Rai, IAS (HP: 2014), who was the Deputy Commissioner Lahaul has now been appointed as the Deputy Commissioner Bilaspur. Kritika Kulhari, IAS (HP:2013), was appointed as the Deputy Commissioner, Solan. Earlier, she served as the Director, Women & Child Development, HP.
List of IAS/HAS Official Transferred/Given Charges
- Dr. Richa Verma, IAS (HP:2012), as Chief Executive Officer, Baddi Barotiwala, Nalagarh Development Authority (BBNDA). She was serving as the Deputy Commissioner Kullu, District, earlier.
- Kalyan Chand, IAS (HP:2011), as Director, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, HP. He will also hold the charge of the post of Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Minorities Finance and Development Corporation Shimla. He was serving as the Deputy Commissioner, Solan, earlier.
- Abid Hussain Sadiq., IAS (HP:2014) was posted as Deputy Commissioner, Kinnaur.
- Yunus, IAS (HP:2010), as Excise & Taxation Commissioner, Himachal Pradesh, Shimla.
- Hemraj Bairwa, IAS (HP:2013), as Mission Director, National Health Mission, HP. He was serving as Deputy Commissioner of the Kinnaur district.
- Rakesh Kumar Prajapati, IAS (HP:2012), as Director, Industrie HP. He will also hold charge of the post of Managing Director HP Industrial Development Corporation. He was serving as the Deputy Commissioner Kangra
- Subhasish Panda, IAS (HP:1997), currently, the Principal Secretary (Public Works Department was given additional charge of the post of Principal Secretary (Tourism & Civil Aviation).
- Devesh Kumar, IAS (HP:1998), has been appointed as Secretary to Chief Minister. He will continue to hold the charge of the post of Secretary (General Administration Department, Secretariat Administration, Sainik Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs) and the post of Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited, Shimla.
- Rakesh Kanwar, IAS (HP:2007), as Secretary to Governor, Himachal Pradesh. He will also hold the charge of the post of Project Director, Zero Budget Natural Farming in the Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh. State
- Amit Kashyap, IAS (HP:2008) as Director, Tourism & Civil Aviation, Himachal Pradesh, Shimla. He will also hold the charge of the post of Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, Shimla.
- Capt. (Retd.) J.M. Pathania, IAS (HP:2008), as Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Agro Industries Corporation Limited, Shimla. He will also hold the charge of the post of Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Agro-Industrial Packaging India Limited.
- Rakhil Kahlon, IAS (HP:2008), as Director, Women and Child Development, HP.
- Manasi Sahay Thakur, IAS (HP:2009), as Managing Director, General Industries Corporation, HP.
- Rohan Chand Thakur, IAS (HP:2009), as Managing Director, HP Financial Corporation.
- Raj Krishan Pruthi, IAS (HP:2009), as Special Secretary (Agriculture) to the HP Govt. He will also hold the charge of the post of Director, Agriculture, HP. Earlier, he was posted as Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur at Nahan, District Sirmaur.
- Vinod Kumar, IAS (HP:2009), as Managing Director, HP Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation, Kangra.
- Chander Prakash Verma, IAS (HP:2010), as Special Secretary (Personnel) to the Government of Himachal Pradesh. He will continue to hold the charge of the posts of Special Secretary (Tribal Development) to the HP Govt-cum Additional Commissioner, Tribal Development, HP and Commissioner Departmental Enquiries, HP.
- Amarjeet Singh, IAS (HP:2010), as Director, Public Finance-cum-Public Enterprises-cum-Special Secretary (Finance) to the HP Govt. and Director, Treasuries, Accounts and Lotteries, Himachal Pradesh, Shimla.
- Rugved Milind Thakur, IAS (HP:2011), as Director, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Himachal Pradesh-cum-ex Officio Special Secretary (Panchayati Raj) to the HPGovt.He was earlier posted as the Deputy Commissioner Mandi, District Mandi.
- Lalit Jain, IAS (HP: 2011), as the Managing Director, HP State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited.
- Vivek Bhatia, IAS (HP:2011), as Director Department of Empowerment of Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities and the Specially Abled, Himachal Pradesh, Shimla. He will also hold the charge of the post of Director, HP Institute of Public Administration.
- Gopal Chand, IAS (HP:2011), Special Secretary (MPP & Power and NCES the Government of Himachal Pradesh, who is holding the charge of the post of Director Youth Services and Sports, HP, was given charge of the post of Special Secretary (Industries) to the Government Himachal Pradesh.
- Devinder Kumar Rattan, IAS (HP:2012), as Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission.
- Manmohan Sharma, IAS (HP:2013), as Director, Urban Development, HP. He will also hold the charge of the post of Chief Executive Officer-cum-Managing Director, Shimla Smart City Ltd.
- Rohit Jamwal, IAS (HP:2014), as Labour Commissioner-cum-Director of Employment, Himachal Pradesh, Shimla. Earlier, he was serving as the Deputy Commissioner, Bilaspur.
- Apoorv Devgan, IAS (HP:2015), as Member Secretary, HP State Pollution Control Board.
- Mukesh Repaswal, IAS (HP:2015), as Director, Information Technology, HP. He will also hold charge of the post of Managing Director, HP Electronics Development Corporation.
- Dr. Priyanka Verma, IAS (HP:2015), as the Director (Personnel & Finance), HP Power Corporation Limited.
- Anurag Chander, IAS (HP:2016), as Special Secretary (Excise & Taxation and Public Works Department) to the HP Govt. He will also hold charge of the post of Director, Estates, HP.
- Sonakshi Singh Tomar, IAS (HP:2016), as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development)-cum-Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, Sirmaur.
- Zaffar Iqbal, IAS (HP:2017), as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development)-cum-Project Director, District Rural Development Agency. Solan.
- Shivam Pratap Singh, IAS (HP:2017), as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development)-cum-Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, Kullu.
- Kiran Bhadana, IAS (HP:2017), as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development)-cum-Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, Shimla.
- Nivedita Negi, IAS (HP:2017), as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) cum-Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, Chamba.
- Kumad Singh, HPAS (2001), as Managing Director, HP Kaushal Vikas Nigam. She will continue to hold the charge of the post of Managing Director, HP Handicrafts and Handloom Corporation.
- Vinay Singh, HPAS (2001, as Director, Ayurveda, HP, Shimla.
Solan—In a shocking incident on Monday, an 18-year-old youth, Pravesh, survived a vicious leopard attack in Sarli village of Arki subdivision. The teenager reportedly fought the leopard for nearly 12 minutes before breaking its jaw, killing the animal on the spot.
Quick Thinking Saved His Life
Pravesh told the media that he was walking from the fields to a nearby shop in the morning to fetch milk when the leopard, hidden in the crops, lunged at him. Noticing the leopard’s tail, he attempted to run but fell after a short distance. During the attack, he covered his neck with his hands to protect himself from fatal bites.
The teenager continued to struggle with the leopard, repeatedly attempting to put distance between himself and the predator. In a desperate move, he grabbed the leopard by its mouth, twisted its jaw, and broke it, killing the animal instantly. Pravesh sustained multiple injuries, including deep claw marks, and is currently receiving treatment at Arki Hospital. Police and forest department teams have launched an investigation into the incident.
Serious Allegations of HP Forest Department’s Negligence
One of Pravesh’s relatives accused the forest department of negligence, noting that similar attacks had occurred in the area previously.
Earlier, a leopard had attempted to attack a scooter rider, who managed to escape. The family said they had informed the forest department on March 6 about potential danger, but no concrete action was taken. Villagers waited for three hours for a forest team to arrive, but none came. When the Block Officer eventually visited, he reportedly told villagers to ensure their own safety. Requests for cages to capture the leopard were also denied, with officials asking for written complaints instead.
SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall across Himachal Pradesh over the next two weeks, with isolated heavy to very heavy showers likely over the low hills, plains, and adjoining mid-hill regions. While the ongoing monsoon remains vital for agriculture, it also brings an elevated risk of localized flooding and landslides.
Week of August 8–14
Maximum temperatures will range from 22°C to 34°C, depending on elevation—22°C to 28°C in high hills, 26°C to 30°C in mid-hills, and up to 34°C in lower regions. Minimum temperatures are expected to remain near normal, between 12°C and 24°C. Cooler conditions may persist in districts like Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti.
Week of August 15–21
Similar rainfall patterns are expected to continue, with scattered heavy rain episodes. Temperature trends will remain stable, though slightly below-normal maximum temperatures are likely in parts of Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi, Kangra, and Kullu districts.
Outlook for Late August
Rainfall is expected to remain broadly normal, with region-specific variations. Districts such as Kinnaur, Shimla, and Sirmaur may see below-normal precipitation, while Una, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Solan are likely to receive above-average rainfall. Both maximum and minimum temperatures are forecast to stay close to seasonal norms.
Officials at the Meteorological Centre in Shimla have urged residents and local authorities to remain alert for sudden heavy downpours, which could disrupt road connectivity and trigger landslides—especially along vulnerable hillside routes. Past monsoon episodes have blocked key highways, including routes between Mandi and Kullu and near Banjar, underscoring the ongoing challenges in the region.
This advisory comes as Himachal Pradesh continues to face the dual pressures of sustaining its agriculture-dependent economy while managing the life and infrastructure risks posed by an active monsoon. Continued vigilance and preparedness remain crucial.
SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –Himachal Pradesh continues to deal with the impacts of the 2025 monsoon season, reporting extensive property damage, loss of lives, and widespread disruptions across the state. According to the official reports from the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), the Department of Revenue, and the India Meteorological Department, from June 20 to August 6, 2025, heavy monsoon rains caused significant damage across multiple districts:
- Casualties: 199 deaths due to landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning, lightning, electrocution, and accidents; 304 injuries reported.
- Property Loss: Extensive damage to houses (both pucca and kaccha), shops, factories, labor sheds, animal shelters, and substantial crop losses in agriculture and horticulture.
- Public Infrastructure: Over ₹1,900 crore in damages to roads (including PWD), power supply, health, education, fisheries, rural and urban development, and animal husbandry.
Most affected districts include Mandi, Kangra, and Hamirpur, with severe crop and infrastructure losses.
Additionally, 91 deaths occurred due to monsoon-related road accidents.
Public Utilities and Infrastructure Disruptions
The SEOC report dated August 7, 2025, highlights ongoing disruptions:
- Roads Blocked: About 493 major roads and 3 national highways (NH-305, NH-21, NH-05) remain blocked by landslides and floods.
- Power Supply: Disruption of 1,120 distribution transformers (DTRs).
- Water Supply: 245 water schemes affected, threatening access to potable water for communities.
Key blockages include NH-21 between Mandi and Kullu and NH-305 near Banjar and Jhed.
Weather Forecast and Warnings
The India Meteorological Department’s forecast valid from August 7, 2025, includes:
- Isolated heavy rainfall expected throughout the week.
- Thunderstorms and lightning predicted in isolated areas.
- Minimum temperatures near normal or slightly below.
- Maximum temperatures showing a moderate increase.
The public is urged to remain vigilant due to the risks of further landslides and flash floods.
Himachal Pradesh remains vulnerable as the monsoon season continues, with thousands affected by damage, displacement, and disruption of essential services. Authorities are continuing with rescue and recovery operations and are urging residents to stay alert to the ongoing adverse weather. This situation highlights the pressing need for enhanced infrastructure and disaster management strategies to mitigate monsoon-related risks.
Himachal’s LPG Supply Hit Amid Global Tensions, Likely to Affect Hospitality Industry
Himachal Teen Survives 12-Minute Leopard Attack, Kills Predator in Self-Defense
Weather Forecast for Himachal Pradesh For the Next Two Weeks
Monsoon 2025: Himachal Pradesh Suffers 199 Casualties, Over ₹1,905.50 Cr in Damages
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